Beverly Marshall

Beverly Marshall

Shaunna O'Grady as Beverly Marshall (1990)
Neighbours character
Portrayed by Lisa Armytage (1987–89)
Shaunna O'Grady (1989–90, 2005)
Duration 1987–90, 2005
First appearance 6 July 1987
Last appearance 27 July 2005
Introduced by Reg Watson (1987)
Ric Pellizerri (2005)
Classification Former; regular
Profile
Occupation Doctor
Home Perth


Lisa Armytage as Beverly Marshall (1987)

Beverly Marshall is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours. The character was originally played by Lisa Armytage and she made her first on-screen appearance on 6 July 1987. Shaunna O'Grady took over from Armytage and began playing the character from 16 March 1989 until her departure on 5 September 1990. Beverly is a doctor and was Jim Robinson's second wife. O'Grady reprised her role of Beverly in 2005 to help celebrate Neighbours' 20th anniversary, she made a cameo in Annalise Hartman's documentary on Ramsay Street.

Casting

Beverly Marshall was originally played by Lisa Armytage.[1] Armytage quit the role in 1988 and the script writers decided to send the character off to a conference for a few months. This allowed them time to cast Shaunna O'Grady in the role.[2] O'Grady took over the role of Beverly in 1989, after she successfully passed a screen test when she dropped into Grundys while passing through Melbourne.[3] O'Grady has described taking over the role from Lisa Armytage as "very strange". On her experience of joining the cast she said "It really was fun, as I recall. Cast and crew were friendly, and we laughed a LOT".[3] There was a notable difference between the two actresses, O'Grady was blonde while Armytage was a brunette.[2] Of this O'Grady said "We don't look at all alike, obviously we aren't the same person and there's been no attempt to make me look like Lisa". She also added "I think I will just be recognised as a different actor and go from there".[2]

When O'Grady's contract came up for renewal, the decision was taken not to renew it. O'Grady has said that she would still be in Neighbours now if it had been up to her.[3] In 2005, O'Grady became one of many ex-cast members who made a return to Neighbours to appear in an episode celebrating the show's 20th anniversary.[4]

Characterisation

On her arrival into Neighbours, Beverly was described has having an "intense and frequently difficult relationship with Jim Robinson".[5] When Beverly saves Helen Daniels' (Anne Haddy) life, she earns Jim's "undying gratitude".[5] Ruth Deller of television website Lowculture also commented on Jim and Beverly's relationship, saying "After a typical Ramsay Street start of hating each other's guts, he (Jim) married [...] Beverly Marshall, but they later divorced.[6] Beverly became the show's first female character not to take her husband's name.[7] Armytage explained Jim and Beverly's relationship, saying that Beverly was initially not interested in Jim.[8] Armytage added that Jim is very defensive when they first meet and it takes a while before they start to relate to each other.[8]

Storylines

Background

Beverly Marshall was the youngest of two girls. Her sister Annette (Tania Uren) went on to marry and raise a family, but Beverly concentrated on becoming a doctor. While she was at medical school she met Stephen Armstrong (Peter Adams) and fell in love. After a few years, Stephen started hitting Beverly and she left him.

1987–90

Beverly accepts an invitation from Hilary Robinson (Anne Scott-Pendlebury), to come to Erinsborough for a visit. Hilary tries to set Beverly and her cousin, Jim Robinson (Alan Dale) up together and Beverly fell for Jim. She sets up a surgery in the medical practice following the departure of Clive Gibbons (Geoff Paine) and moves to Erinsborough permanently. Beverly helps deliver Daphne Clarke's (Elaine Smith) son, Jamie (S.J. Dey), after she goes into labour while on a fishing trip with her husband Des (Paul Keane), Jim and Beverly. Stephen Armstrong comes back into Beverly's life and she chooses him over Jim. However, Stephen begins getting violent again and she threw him out. Beverly begs Jim to take her back and he proposes to her.

Beverly and Jim marry at Jim's house on Valentine's Day 1988. Their honeymoon plans are dashed when Beverly's niece and nephew, Katie (Sally Jensen) and Todd Landers (Kristian Schmid) run away. When they are found, they reveal that Annette and their father, Bob (Robin Harrison; Bruce Kilpatrick) are having marital problems. Beverly and Jim agree to let Katie and Todd stay with them. Beverly is nervous about Jim's mother-in law, Helen Daniels and wonders if she would accept her. However, Helen was happy that Jim has found someone else. Beverly asks Jim if they could try for a baby, but Jim is reluctant after having raised four children of his own. However, he agreed and Beverly discovers she is pregnant, but one night she is mugged on the way home from the surgery and suffers a miscarriage.

When Debra Turner (Daisy Cameron), a young single mother leaves her baby son, Rhys (Anna and Evie Kasmatis) at Beverly's surgery, Beverly takes the child home and decides to apply for legal guardianship of him. However, Debra returns to town with the child's father, Adam Delaney (Joel Richardson) and they begin blackmailing Beverly. Jim finds out when he notices that large amounts of money were missing from their bank account. Beverly tells him everything and Jim calls the police. Rhys then taken away and put up for adoption. Ewan O'Brien (Peter Sumner) an ex-partner of Beverly's, arrives in Erinsborough to ask her to help with a research paper and Jim becomes jealous of him. The tension between Beverly and Jim eventually force Beverly to take a reluctant Todd and move to the flat above her surgery.

Beverly then discovers she is pregnant again and she reconciles with Jim, but she miscarries again. She is then told that she cannot carry child to full term. When Ewan asks Beverly to join him in Perth, Beverly decided to leave Erinsborough. Just before she left, Jim told her that he wanted to remain friends. Beverly and Jim divorce the following year.[6] When Annalise Hartman (Kimberly Davies) returners to Ramsay Street to show the residents a documentary she had made, Beverly features in it and she reveals that she owed her professional confidence to her time on Ramsay Street.

Reception

Beverly was named as a "firm favourite with viewers" in John Kercher's 1989 book, Neighbours: facts, features, interviews with your favourite TV stars.[9] Kercher also named Beverly's relationship with Jim as "intriguing".[9] Ruth Deller named Beverly as Ramsay Street's "superdoc".[6] In another feature, Lowculture called Beverly the "resident awesome all-powerful Neighbours doctor who came inbetween Clive Gibbons and Karl Kennedy".[10] The BBC said Beverly's most notable moment was "When she slapped one of her patients."[11]

References

  1. ↑ "Former soap star on the books of local agent". Lincolnshire Echo. 29 May 2009. Archived from the original on 22 September 2009. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
  2. 1 2 3 Hopwood, Clive (1990). The Official Neighbours Annual 1990. World International. p. 59. ISBN 0-7235-6859-6. Retrieved 4 June 2010.
  3. 1 2 3 Moe (11 March 2006). "Interviews – Shaunna O'Grady". Perfectblend. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
  4. ↑ Green, Kris (14 April 2005). "More Neighbours returns confirmed". Digital Spy. Hachette Filipacchi (UK) Ltd. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
  5. 1 2 Wallis, Neil & Hogan, Dave (1989). The Neighbours factfile. Angus & Robertson. p. 74. ISBN 0-207-16382-0. Retrieved 3 June 2010.
  6. 1 2 3 Deller, Ruth (23 July 2009). "A guide to recognising your Ramsays and Robinsons". Low Culture. Archived from the original on 14 August 2009. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
  7. ↑ Monroe, Josephine (1996). Neighbours: the first 10 years. Michael Joseph LTD. (Penguin Group). p. 124. ISBN 0-7181-4212-8. Retrieved 4 June 2010.
  8. 1 2 Oram, James (1988). Neighbours: behind the scenes. Angus & Robertson. p. 111. ISBN 0-207-16075-9. Retrieved 9 June 2010.
  9. 1 2 Kercher, John (1989). Neighbours: facts, features, interviews with your favourite TV stars. Grandreams Ltd. p. 61. ISBN 0-7323-0607-8. Retrieved 5 June 2010.
  10. ↑ "Baby, I Swear it's Deja Vu". Lowculture. 18 April 2008. Archived from the original on 28 March 2008. Retrieved 9 June 2010.
  11. ↑ "Character: Beverly Marshall". BBC. Archived from the original on 6 October 2003. Retrieved 3 March 2011.

External links

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